Avoid long weekend road trip hell

By Alexandra Straub

Originally published: May 16, 2012

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Hooray for long weekends! With the weather constantly improving (I hope I didn’t jinx it by saying that) and more and more people getting out on the roads for extended road trips, staying alert behind the wheel becomes increasingly important.

When you’re driving for hours on end, it’s essential to nourish your brain and your body properly so fatigue doesn’t get the best of you.

In order to be at the top of your game so you don’t endanger yourself or other motorists, it seemed appropriate to talk with a man who’s at the top of his game.

Matt Nichol has been training professional athletes for over 14 years. As a former strength coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’s also worked with NHL, NBA, MLB, NCAA players, Olympians and more. Additionally, Nichol has his Master’s degree in Kinesiology (M. Kine) from York University, is the only strength and conditioning coach recognized by the Canadian Olympic Association as a Level V Coach (NCCP Level V) and has an array of other professional certifications to complement his field of work.

A former athlete, he knows the importance of staying focused along with staying healthy when the pres-sure is on.

“I work with professional athletes,” Nichol says. “So if you have an NBA player or an NHL hockey player or a major-league baseball player, they’re usually playing around 7: 30 p.m. They need to be focused, they need to have attention, concentration and endurance, but they shouldn’t be drinking high caffeine beverages at night. It’s not good for anybody.”

The same principle applies to drivers.

“When people want to stay alert, they normally turn to caffeinated beverages and products,” Nichol notes. “There’s no doubt that caffeine will improve focus and sharp-en concentration in the short term, but it can also lead to dehydration.

“There’s plenty of research that shows that when we become dehydrated, our focus and attention suffer, and our concentration and our decision making skills are impaired. In a long run, it’s good to have alter-natives.”

What can those alternatives be? While Nichol recognizes that people are going to reach for their drink of choice, he recommends a product called BioSteel Sports Supplements High Performance Sports Drink (www.biosteel.com), a product he helped develop, which is available at local nutritional stores. It’s the official supplement of Athletics Canada and is an electrolyte and amino acid replacement drink. While it was designed with athletes in mind, it helps re-hydrate individuals’ bodies and gives them a boost of vitamins and minerals along the way.

When it comes to nutrition, Nichol says the best way to stay healthy is to plan ahead. Pack your own snacks like fruits, veggies and nuts, and don’t assume there will be a lot of nutritious alternatives at the variety stores or gas stations.

“A lot of the times the high sugar, high refined carbohydrate snack foods can get you on the blood sugar roller coaster where they can boost you up, but within the hour you find yourself crashing down and sleepy and lacking concentration and focus,” Nichol mentioned.

Guilty as charged! But there is hope among the sea of sugary goodness.

“Look for items that are higher in protein or fats, such as nuts and seeds,” Nichol advises. “They may not be organic and raw and unsalted, but it’s better than the high sugar, high refined carbohydrate options.”

Now that your food and drink options are covered, how about stretching to keep the blood flowing?

Nichol understands that people have a destination and they generally want to get there as fast as possible, but he encourages stretching as often as you can, perhaps every hour or so.

What kinds of stretches should one do?

“Reverse the posture you were just in.”

He also recommends that if you spend a lot of time in a seated position, it is good to get up and walk around. Gentle back or side bends, squeezing the bum cheeks, stretching the hip flexors and just getting the body moving will help combat fatigue.

Another tip to help combat fatigue is to make sure your steering wheel is at a good height and the seat is in a good position.

“Constantly fighting against bad posture is exhausting for you postural muscles. It’ll make you tired, it’ll make you less focused, and it’ll make you more drowsy on a long road trip,” Nichol says.

And when you get really tired, pull over and sleep. “No matter where you’re going and what your timeline is, it’s always better to arrive alive. There’s no meeting, appointment, or destination that’s important enough to warrant you endangering yourself or someone else in the process. It’s not just about you.”

Happy trails!

Contact Alexandra at shiftinggears-girl@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter.com/cargirlsgarage